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Jan. 23, 1940. y Q c, ERB 2,187,735

CONTAINER Filed Nov. l2, 193B ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 23, 1940 UNITED l"s'rn'rlssf comunali. y n

A George C. Erb, Forest` BillsWest, N.A Y., assigner to American Can CompanyNew York, N. Y.,

a corporation of New Jersey` Application November 12, 193s, serial No. 240,160 y 4 claims. (ci. azi-q2) 'I'he present invention relates to dredging cans and has particular reference toy af self-A-closing sifter top powder or condiment can embodying a sliding closure member of an improved construction permitting handling of the can in one hand while moving` and holding the sliding closure member in its open, sifter position.

In some respects the invention may be considered an improvement upon thestructure disclosed inthe R. W. Wilson Patent 2,123,643, is-

sued by the UnitedStates Patent Ofiice on Julyl An object of the present invention is the provision of a dredging can which is equipped with Il -a self-closing sliding closure member which remains in closed position until moved into an open position for dispensing, the opening and holding of the slidingzmember in its open dispensing position being easily effected by mere digital pressurey applied directly to an end of the sliding closure. Another object of the invention is the provision of a dredging can of the character described which consists of a few simple parts and the rasg5 sembly of these parts may be easily made to condition the can for complete enclosure of the contents or for dispensing thereof.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanyingv drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to lthe drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sifter top a5 can embodying the present invention, this view illustrating lthe can held in one hand with the vsliding closure member held in open or dredge dispensing position. l 1

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe sitter top 40 can on a slightly larger scale without its slidingl closure member;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sliding closure member;

Fig. 4 'vis a top plan view of the can shown-in 45 Fig. 1 with parts of the slide member broken back; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the section line 5-5 in Fig. 4. 50 Thepresent invention is concerned with a dredge top can for powders, condimentsor the like having a springf, held self-closing sliding. closure member. The shape is unimportant Aand in the drawing such a can is shown as Icylindrical $5 in form and of somewhat conventional congura.-

tion. The can comprises a can body I I having a bottom end I2 secured thereto in a suitable seam as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Adjacent the top end of the body there is provided a reenforcing bead I2 (Figs. 2 and 5) which 5 is pressed outwardly. Above the bead I3 the body wall extendsup-as a cylindrical neck I4 on which rests a top member.v Such a top member consists of a cylindrical 'flange section I5, which engages the body vneck in a tight frictional fit, and 10 a bleast I6 extending inwardly from the` friction wa .I

The upper edge of the body neck may be slightly ducked-in as at I1 and the lower edge of the top flange section I5 may be turned out in the be- 16 ginning of a curl as at I8, these two features permitting easy joining of the top to the body. The part curl i8 engages and snugly ts the body bead I3 when the top and body are assembled and in a similar way the ducked-in edge Il rests in the' 20 n curved junction zone between the top parts I5, I6.

y The breast I6 has an opening'which is slightly on center for a purpose hereinafter explained and' the edge of the metal of the breast surrounding the opening is flattened at the sides but 25 2 its ends are rounded. A nozzle 2| is located in this opening. The nozzle also has iiat sides and `rounded ends and its edges arejoined to the edges of the breast surrounding the central opening in a double seam connection 22.v 'I'he 'nozzlev 30 2I has a flat top wall` 23 and a number of spaced y sifter or dredge perforations 24 which are cut in this wall, these beingflocated in rows.

The perforations 24 are adapted to be closed off or opened by the sliding closure member which is y designated generally by thenumeral 25 (Fig. 3).

'I'he closure slide 25 is cupped shaped having flat sides and rounded ends. It isl formed with a flat top wall 25 and a peripheral skirt or flange 2 1 the lower edge of which is bent outwardly in a 40 lcurl 28. Sii'ter or dredge perforations 28 cut through the top wall 26 of the slide have.v the same arrangement in number of rows and spacing las the perforations 24. These two sets of nozzle and slide openings are adapted for alignment as when the can functions in its sifter dispensingv capacity.

I'hesliding closure member 25 is Just wide enough for its fiat side walls to slidably engage the iiat side walls of the nozzle 2| when the clo-` 50- `sure member is "in slidingposition on the nozzle. In this position the flat slide wall 26 is in sliding contact with the-at nozzle wall 23 as best shown in Fig. 5. Thefmember 25 is much longer than the nozzle `2| and the sliding movement possible 55.

` this relationship between slide and nozzle.

between these parts is dependent on this difference in longitudinal dimension.

In one position one rounded end of the slide member is against the adjacent rounded end of the nozzle but the opposite rounded slide end is spaced from its adjacent rounded nozzle end. This is best shown in Fig. 4.

Provision is made for holding the closure slide wall 26 down tightly against the nozzle wall 23 at all times, that is, irrespective of the relative longitudinal positions of slide and nozzle. An outwardly pressed bead 3| (Figs. 3 and 5) is formed in each straight side .of the flange wall 21 of the closure member and two outwardly pressed projections 32 (see also Fig. 2), formed in each straight side Wall of the nozzle 2|. extend into each bead. This permits free sliding of the closure member 25 but always holds the same down on the nozzle 2|.

It will be -recalled'that mention wasmade of the nozzle 2| being off center of the axis of the can. When the slide closure 25 is centrally disposed on the can (this being the position of the parts in Fig. 4) the slide perforations 29 are not in register with the nozzle perforations 24. The can is therefore closed and this is the normal position of the sifter parts. This normal position is maintained by means of a spring element which will next be considered.

By reason of the olf center position of the nozzle 2| a space is left between the end wall of the nozzle (at the right in Fig. 4) and the right end wall of the slide. It is in this space that the spring element referred to is disposed. Both of the end Walls of the slide member flange 21 along a longitudinal axis, is pressed outwardly in a protuberance 35 (Figs. 3 and 4). One of these protuberances provides a pocket for a coil spring 35 (see also Fig. 3) and two ends 31 of the spring extend toward and abut the adjacent end wall of the nozzle.

Only one protuberance 35 is used in each can but having two, one on each side, gives symmetry of design and also provides for ease of assembly. In such assembly, it is merely necessary to place the spring 36 on the top of the breast I6, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and then the slide member 25 may be brought down over the nozzle. Dot and dash lines connecting Figures 2 and 3 indicate The coil body of the spring is thus easily seated in whichever protuberance 35 happens to be on that side and the legs 31 of the spring assume the position shown in Fig. 4 the spring then being under slight tension.

Either the fully formed projections 32 may be sprung inwardly by the slide skirt 21 during this assembly just enough to permit passage of the slide member' into sliding position, or the projections 32 may be subsequently formed by'being pressed out after the parts are in place. If the projections are fully formed, the spring in the metal of the nozzle and also in the slide is such as to cause the projections to snap out into holding position within the bead 3| when the parts are fully assembled.

When the completely formed, filled and closed can is to be used as a dredging or sifter can in the dispensing of its contents, it need only be grasped in one hand, partially inverted as shown in Fig. 1 and at the same time the thumb is pressed in against that protuberance 35 in which the spring 36 is seated. 9

This digital pressure on the slide member moves the latter until its perforations 29 align with the periorations 2l of the nozzle the sprin! legs 31 at such time spreading apart as their ends slide along the end wall of the nozzle. Since the spring 36 at such time is under its greatest tension it is necessary to hold the slide in open position while the dispensing of the can contents is being effected. As soon as released the spring returns the slide member to closed position. This is the self closing feature which has been previously mentioned and which is very valuable in the packaging of many types of powders or similar contents.

'I'he legs 31 of the spring 36 can only spread so far and there is therefore only possible a definite movement of the slide before the end wall of the skirt portion 21 is stopped by the nozzle wall. This is constructed to be the full open position of the can which thus has an exact slide movement between its closed position and its open position.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit'and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A self-closing dredge top can closure comprising a nozzle section having vertical walls and a fiat top, the latter being cut through with sifter perforations, a slide member located in sliding position on said nozzle section, said slide member having vertical walls and a flat top which 'engages the at top of said nozzle, said sliding member flat top having sifter perforations which normally are out of register with said nozzle perforations, and a spring element interposed between said nozzle and slide and yieldably maintaining the closure in its closed condition, said slide member being movable under digital pressure applied to a said vertical slide wall and against the action of said spring element to bring said nozzle and slide perforations into register to provide for sifter dispensing of the contents of the can.

2. A self-closing dredge top can closure cornprising a nozzle section having vertical walls and a fiat top, the latter being cut through with sifter perforations, a slide member located in sliding position on said nozzle section, said slide member having vertical walls and a ilat top, the latter engaging the flat top of said nozzle, beaded sliding connections formed in the cooperating vertical walls of said slide and nozzle, said slide flat top having sifter perforations cut therethrough which normally are in can closing position and out of register with said nozzle perforations, and a spring element interposed between adjacent vertical walls of said noz'zle and slide and yieldably maintaining the closure in its normal closed condition, said slide member being movable under digital pressure applied to a said vertical slide wall and against the action of said spring element to bring said nozzle and slide perforations into register to provide for sifter dispensing of the contents of the can.

3. A self-closing dredge top can closure having straight and curved vertical walls and a fiat top, the latter being cut through with sifter perforations, a slide member located in sliding position on said nozzle section, said slide member having straight and curved vertical walls and a fiat top.

mamas said slide member having straight and curved vertical walls and a fiat top, the straight walls of the straight walls of said slide member slidably engaged on the outside o! the straight walls of said nozzle section and the at tops of said slide and nozzle also slidably engaging each other being so held by beaded connections formed in said straight Walls, said slide flat top having sitter 4. A self-closing dredge top can closure having straight and curved vertical walls and a ilat top, the latter being cut through with a plurality of rows of sifter perforations, a slide member located in sliding position on said nozzle section,

said slide member slidabiy engaging on the outside ot the straight walls of said nozzle section and the iiat tops of said slide and nozzle also slidably engaging each other, a spring pocket formed on the inside ota curved vertical wall oi said slide, said flat top o! said sliding member having a plurality of rows oi sitter perfoi'ationsl which are normally out of register with the said nozzle perforations thus normally closing the can, and a coil spring seated in said spring pocket o the slide having legs which engage an adjacent l `cuxvedvvertical wall of said nozzle and yieldably maintaining the can in its closed condition, said slide member being movable under digital pressure applied to said curved vertical slide wall ad- `jacent said spring. pocket for aligning the periorations of said slide and nozzle and conditioning the can for sitter dispensing oi' the contents thereof when said slide member is moved the maximum 'distance permitted by said yielding spring.

GEORGE C. ERB. 

